Fifth-wheel



(No Model.)

W. H. MILLER.

FIFTH WHm-J'L. v f No. 303,395.y Patented A'ug.12,A 1884.

- v /IZUeIZQ/v, WMM/4 Ma/W ff, maar UNiTED STATES PATENT Price.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,395, dated August 12, 1884- Application mea ism-10.1884. N0 moat-1 To all whom t may concern,.-

vBe it known that I, VILLIAM H. MILLER,Y

a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new useful Improvements in Fifth-Vheels, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fifth-wheels for vehicles.

The object of my invention is to prevent the shifting of bearing of the vehicle-body when passing over uneven surfaces, and to a certain extent prevent the binding` of the upper and lower circle of the ifth-wheel, and also to prevent the binding and sidewise strain on the king-bolt when the vehicle is in use. I attain these objects by means of the peculiar construction and arrangement ofthe various parts,

which will be more fully pointed out and described in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the same.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the drawings.

Reference being had to the drawings, A represents the floor or bottom of a vehicle` body resting on cross-bars B. To the under faces of cross-bars B is secured alipped circle, H, within which works a circle, D, and eX- tcnding over the edges of said circle is a clipstrap, g. A smaller lipped circle, I, having projections h and hf, is centrally-secured by screw-bolts passing through perforations in the projections h and h to .the cross-bars; B, said circle I having a central perforation for the reception of the king-bolt F. Awearplate, G, having projections t', is secured to the head-block C by screw-bolts. Said wearplate is formed with an upward-curved central projection, c', the upper face of which is slightly grooved to form a suitable bearingsurface for the head of king-bolt F. A lip projection, c, is formed on each side of said wear-plate, extending downward on the headblock C, formed with perforations, through which the pivot-rod b is inserted A circular saddle-piece, E, having downward projections a, provided with perforations c?, is adapted to receive thc pivot-rod b, on which it is pivoted, the projections a extending down each side of the wear-plate G. The circular part E is held above the center of wear-plate G by the projections a, and the center of said part E is perforated to receive the' king-bolt F, which is formed with a head to fit in said perforation and against the under face of part E. The concave circle I rests on saddle-piece E. The king-bolt F passes up through circle I, central cross-bar,B, plate f, and the bottom A, in which position it is held by a screwnut, f, bearing against plate f. By this construction the king-bolt not only binds the parts in place, as shown in Figs. l and 2, but permits the parts to turn freely without binding. The pivot-rod b is secured at each end to projecting ears d, formed on plates c, said projecting ears being formed with sufficient space between each to receive the projecting ears formed on the lower surface of circle D, pivotrod b passing through said ears and holding said parts in place.

By means ofthe saddle-piece E, having perforated projections,through which rod bis inserted and on which said saddle-piece is supported,the sidewise undulating motion caused by the wheels of the vehicle passing over uneven ground is avoided, the body part maintains nearly a level or horizontal position, and there is little or no binding between the circles, saddle, and king-bolt, and all of the parts work free and easy, and with less friction than with the ordinary plain circles.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. In a fifth-wheel, the saddle E, having a central perforation for the reception of a kingbolt, and side projections for the reception of a pivot-rod, said saddle adapted to rest on said pivot-rod by means of said projections, substantially as shown and specified.

2. In a fifth-wheel, the combination of the lip-circle I, having projections and a central `head-block C, al1 arranged and operated sub- [o stantially as shown and Specified.

In testimony whereof I ax my si gnature in presence of two Witnesses.

VILLIAM H. MILLER.

WH tn esses:

WILLIS A. BUGBEE, G. W. MATTHEWS. 

